Shloka 19

सीतया लक्ष्मणप्रेषणम् — Sita urges Lakshmana to seek Rama

The crisis of the ‘distressed voice’

Devanagari script

राक्षसा विविधा वाचो विसृजन्ति महावने।।3.45.19।।हिंसाविहारा वैदेहि न चिन्तयितुमर्हसि।

Transliteration

rākṣasā vividhā vāco visṛjanti mahāvane || 3.45.19 || hiṃsāvihārā vaidehi na cintayitum arhasi |

Translation

ഈ മഹാവനത്തിൽ ഹിംസയിൽ രമിക്കുന്ന രാക്ഷസന്മാർ പലവിധ വാക്കുകൾ പരത്തുന്നു; ഹേ വൈദേഹി, അത്തരം വാക്കുകളെക്കുറിച്ച് നീ ചിന്തിച്ച് വിഷമിക്കേണ്ടതില്ല.

Word by Word

• rākṣasāḥ: demons
• rākṣasāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana

• vividhāḥ: various
• vividhāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vividha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; qualifies "rākṣasāḥ"

• vācaḥ: words / utterances
• vācaḥ: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāc (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (2/द्वितीया), Bahuvacana

• visṛjanti: utter / send forth
• visṛjanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√sṛj (सृज् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्/present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Bahuvacana; parasmaipada

• mahā-vane: in the great forest
• mahā-vane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Saptamī (7/सप्तमी), Ekavacana; karmadhāraya = "great forest"

• hiṅsā-vihārāḥ: delighting in violence
• hiṅsā-vihārāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hiṅsā + vihāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa = "whose pastime is violence"; apposition to "rākṣasāḥ"

• vaidehi: O Vaidehi
• vaidehi: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaidehī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Pratiṣedha-nipāta

• cintayitum: to worry / to think
• cintayitum: Karma (कर्म/complement of arhasi)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √cint (चिन्त् धातु)
• Form: Tumun (तुमुन्/infinitive)

• arhasi: you ought (to)
• arhasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √arh (अर्ह् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्/present), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada; with negation "na" = "need not"

Context

I clearly heard Rama calling out in great distress. Indeed, my heart as well as my life is not in its place (restless). You ought to go and protect your brother who is crying in pain in the forest.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Sītā (Vaidehī)
• rākṣasāḥ
• mahāvana (great forest)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma includes steadiness of mind and discernment: one should not be shaken by malicious or deceptive speech intended to provoke fear.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa tries to calm Sītā, explaining that rākṣasas in the forest spread many frightening words and she should not be alarmed.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-possession and rational counsel—Lakṣmaṇa models calm judgment in a threatening environment.